A McKenzie Christmas (2 page)

She chuckled and stepped back. “I didn’t eat with the children. I wanted to wait for you.”

Lily placed the plate of pancakes onto the table and sat beside Michael to eat. They normally sat at opposite ends so that it was easier to supervise the twins, but she wanted to be close to her husband.

She’d already spoken to Pippa about maybe leaving the children overnight sometime soon. Pippa had been giddy with excitement at the thought, but Lily wasn’t too sure that she was ready to part with Sirena. She wasn’t far off three months old, but like with the twins, she felt attached to her and didn’t want her or the twins out of her sight. Pippa had suggested that they all go somewhere together, but that she’d keep the children in the room with her. That idea had sounded good, except it defeated the idea of Mommy and Daddy having some alone time. What she needed to do was go for it, and in her mind she knew that she’d already made that decision because Sirena’s breakfast had been a bottle.

“I’ve been thinking,” she started to broach the subject, “that maybe we could have a night away somewhere.”

Michael stopped eating, and looked so damn hopeful that it was all she could do not to laugh.

“Maybe close by, though, in case we need to get back to the children, but I think I can do one night.” Lily met her husband’s gaze.

“Are you sure that you’re ready to leave Sirena?” He frowned. “I remember how it took months for you to let the twins out of your sight.”

“I don’t think I’m as bad this time. I mean, I go shopping without her and the twins, even though I’m only usually gone a couple of hours.”

“This is different.”

“I know it is.” She smiled. “I gave Sirena a bottle while the twins ate their breakfast.”

Michael put his cutlery down. “You did?”

Lily nodded. “I could see your mom itching to do it, but I told her that I needed you to be the first one other than me to feed her.”

Michael scrapped his chair on the floor to get closer to his wife. With her face cupped in his hands, he told her, “If you are serious about a night away, then let me arrange it.”

She nodded.

“I promise we’ll be close to home.” He kissed her on the lips.

“Just give me about a week to get Sirena used to bottles and someone else feeding her. Hopefully, after that, we’ll be good to go.”

“I can do that.”

“Don’t you want your breakfast,” Lily asked, knowing he was too distracted with wicked thoughts. “Michael, they’ll be cold.”

“I’ll enjoy them just the same.”

The rest of their breakfast was eaten in a comfortable silence, while they were both lost in their own thoughts about their night away.

A week before Christmas, and two days before her night away with Michael, Lily dashed around town to finish her shopping for the children. It wasn’t often that she had time to herself. She certainly had her hands full, and had since she met Michael. He was the love of her life and she’d be lost without him. Not a day went by without them telling each other what the other meant to them. Which was why she was happy that she asked him for a night away. It would just be the two of
them
with no one else to consider. She was nervous about leaving Sirena, but she knew that her youngest daughter, and the twins, would be in good hands with Michael’s mom.

If only she knew what to surprise Michael with on Christmas day. He was difficult to buy for and she always struggled. Michael had enough money to buy what he wanted, which was why it made it difficult for Lily to decide. One idea had been to have their children’s first initial engraved onto gold cufflinks. Michael loved to wear his shirts for the office, and he had a mixed-matched selection. She’d have to get a move on though if that was her choice. Everyone would be busy, and she guessed the jewelers would be as well.

As she walked through the Christmas market, she spotted an old bookstall at the end of the section that she currently walked down. But first, she couldn’t help stopping at the display of Christmas ornaments. She loved the old fashioned ones in red and gold. They’d look amazing on their Christmas tree in the living room. Every time she would sit and look at the tree, she would get tearful at all the Christmases she’d missed. She couldn’t imagine not having the family that she loved and cherished around her—it had been so long since she’d had a family that she felt so blessed to have one now.

Michael hadn’t just given her his heart when he married her; he’d also given her a large family, which was worth more than he could ever buy her. He knew that, but he loved spoiling his family, especially his wife.

Lily smiled and handed over the money for her few purchases, and, once she’d put them safely into her purse, she moved on to the bookstall. The man behind the counter sat reading from what looked to be an old book. He glanced up and smiled. “Are you looking for anything in particular?”

“I’m not really sure,” Lily said as she looked through his titles. “I think maybe a Christmas book. Something to keep that we could read to our children every Christmas Eve.” She glanced at the man and shrugged. “It needs to be something special.”

“Hmm. Well, let me look.” He stood and started to root through a box on the counter.

Lily moved over to watch him and smiled when she recognized some of the titles:
Heidi, The Gingerbread Man, A Night Before Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas
, and, of course, there had to be,
Christmas on Forty-Second Street
. In the end, Lily chose an old edition of a Hans Christian Anderson book,
The Little Match Girl,
for when the children were older, and, for now, she chose,
The Snowman
by Raymond Briggs.

“I’d like these two, please.” Lily passed her selections over to the man and watched as he wrapped them in old Christmas paper.

“Here you go.” He passed them to Lily who exchanged her money for them.

“Thank you so much.” She smiled as she clutched her purchases closely. They were perfect and she planned on leaving them beneath the tree after the children bathed on Christmas Eve so Michael could read to them.

She had a feeling that her husband would be delighted with the tradition that she wanted to start. Christmas before her parents had died had been a huge affair and all the family knew to just show up, and they did. She hadn’t experienced a big family Christmas again, until she met Michael.

With thoughts of Michael whirling around in her head, she knew it was time to head home to her family.

Since Michael had walked inside Victoria’s Secret with his brothers, they’d been watched. Not just by the staff but the other women who were shopping in the store. They weren’t the only guys inside. He’d never had a problem being inside the store before so he had no idea what his problem was this time. Then, as he turned around, it hit him that it was because he was here with Sebastian and Ruben. Lucien was due to arrive for the holidays the following day with his wife and son, Alexander. Ramon had asked why would he want something from Victoria’s Secret so he hadn’t come. As Michael watched Sebastian hold up panties in various colors, his brother looked to be really enjoying himself, he had to smile.

“Hey, Michael,” Sebastian shouted, “you should get Lily some of these, but if you’re into ripping them off her, you should probably go for the cheaper version.” He grinned.

Michael felt a blush coat his cheekbones and quickly caught the pair of pink panties that Sebastian tossed to him.

He shook his head and laughed. “Behave, before you get us thrown out of here.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes. “They won’t throw us out when they want us to spend our money.”

Deciding it might be best to ignore his brother, Michael glanced around for Ruben and caught him in one corner looking at the babydoll dresses. Well, at least one of his brothers had the right idea.

Lily loved receiving something from Victoria’s Secret, and normally, he wouldn’t have a problem, but her boobs were at least twice the size that they used to be before she was pregnant so he didn’t really know what size to get her anymore. Oh, he knew her bra size, thanks to his snooping, but that didn’t say small, medium or large.

His gaze soon landed on a model that wore a one piece but the cups of her bra gapped.

He found himself standing in front of a rack of them in various sizes. He picked up a medium and made sure the cups of the bra really did split apart before he decided to make the purchase. That of course was how his brothers found him; his fingers wiggled through the gap.

“That’s hot,” Sebastian commented. “I need one of those for Carla.”

Michael glanced at Sebastian and he laughed as he saw the basket, brimming with underwear, in Sebastian’s arms. “You destroy all your wife’s things?”

Sebastian grinned. “Nearly.” He walked away whistling, and continued to add more to what he already had.

“He’ll never grow up,” Ruben commented with a grin across his face. “You only getting that now?”

“I’m not sure about this.” He held the sexy lingerie up to the window while his brother and him looked on. Imagining Lily wearing it while he stood in the store wasn’t the wisest thing he’d ever done. He quickly held the basket in front of his lap and dropped the bit of lace inside. “I’m getting it. Now for more.”

As he walked off, he watched Ruben pick up the same item and drop it into his basket. So it appeared the outfit hadn’t only affected him.

“I’ve got some other stuff to do so I’ll see you later.” Sebastian didn’t give him time to reply before he was off, weighed down with bags.

Sebastian had been acting weird for a couple of days. As though he had a secret that he was desperate to share, but couldn’t. He’d think more on that at some point.

It didn’t take Michael long to fill up his basket with panties, bras, stockings, perfume, room spray, and all the other stuff that he knew Lily would love. Last year, he’d only bought her a few items from Victoria’s Secret, but he knew how much she loved lingerie, which was why he’d gone to town. He’d pack the one piece, though, for their night away.

He wouldn’t be able to wait to get her in it and while Christmas was usually fun, it was also hectic so it would be a little while before he could see her in what he bought her. Instead of waiting until then, while he had her all to himself, he wanted to savor her.

“Lily, we can call again.” Michael knew Lily was having a difficult time relaxing because she felt lost without Sirena in her arms.

“No. Your mom has our numbers as well as the one for the hotel, so I’m sure she’ll call if there’s a problem.” She smiled and her whole face lit up. “No matter how much I fret, I want you to know it means so much to me that we are alone tonight. I’ve missed you so much.”